Quercetin

Quercetin (CAS 117-39-5) is a dietary flavonoid widely found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, tea, and red wine, exhibiting notable antineoplastic and anti-inflammatory effects. It functions primarily as a potent inhibitor of intracellular signaling kinases, including PI3K and NF-κB, and moderately inhibits Akt1/2, with weaker effects on PKC, p38, and ERK1/2 pathways. Moreover, quercetin can elevate cytosolic Ca2? levels, disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential, induce cytochrome c release, and activate caspases (3, 8, and 9), thereby promoting apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways. It also affects cell cycle progression and apoptosis via stabilizing and phosphorylating p53. Thus, quercetin serves as a valuable tool in cancer research, providing insights into chemoprevention mechanisms and therapeutic potentials.